Fake SMS Blast Gang Using 'Fake BTS' in MRT Discovered; Here Is Their Modus Operandi
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police have arrested five suspects following the exposure of a fraudulent short message service (SMS) blast operation using fake cellular signal transmitters (Fake BTS) along the Jakarta MRT route, spanning from Bundaran HI to Blok M, South Jakarta.
AKBP Grawas Sugihactory, Head of Sub-directorate 4 of the Cyber Crime Directorate of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, explained that the case was uncovered following reports from members of the public who received SMS messages containing links to fraudulent websites while near the MRT tracks.
“The messages impersonated coffee shops, telecommunications service providers, and even banking institutions,” Grawas stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Friday.
He explained that in executing their scheme, the suspects utilised Fake BTS equipment installed inside a vehicle to broadcast artificial frequencies to nearby mobile phones, allowing messages to be delivered as if they were from official transmitters.
The activity was detected on 31 July 2026, when investigators became suspicious of a silver car with plate number B 2755 XXX, which was driving slowly and circling the MRT route.
“Officers subsequently conducted a search and detained the driver, identified by the initials GM, who was operating the device.”
Further investigations revealed that GM was working under the direction of suspect NL, who was responsible for sourcing vehicles and drivers. All operational activities were funded by suspect AGW.
Following digital forensic examinations, investigators arrested two additional suspects: JYI, the technician who assembled the Fake BTS equipment into the car, and AD, who determined the content and volume of the messages to be distributed.
In addition to the arrest of the five suspects, police seized evidence including one silver car, a Fake BTS equipment set consisting of a battery, signal booster, power supply, five mobile phones, as well as operational bank books and ATM cards. The police are continuing their investigation to determine if other individuals are involved in the network.